Mass Effect: Vengeance
by Azreal1313
Summary: ven·geance (vnjns) n. Infliction of punishment in return for a wrong committed; retribution. Idiom: with a vengeance 1. With great violence or force. 2. To an extreme degree: December has turned cold with a vengeance. Her squad was killed, she was kidnapped, she wants vengeance. Ava Ardnot, Raloi, Mercanary. Hero? Ava joins commander Shepard on the Normandy.
1. CH 1) Eden Prime

The girl leaned against the pre-fabricated steel shack with a sigh. She was extremely strange even for the relatively cosmopolitan colony of Eden Prime. Neither the pale translucent skin that revealed the pale violet spirals of veins underneath, nor her ice blue eyes flecked with gold were her oddest feature. That was her wings.  
Ava Enyo Ardnot was not human.

Ava sighed again, day three on the protection detail for the dig site on Eden prime. The big shot archaeologists thought they had found something prothean, whatever it was it must be very important, after all she mused with a smile you didn't hire Black Hand "private security force" for nothing. Eden Prime was a paradise, something out of a vid green rolling hills stretched on for miles giving way to sapphire blue oceans and emerald trees, the sky was filled with perfect white puffs of clouds. Ava hated it. It was too peaceful, it made you let your guard down and if you let your guard down you died. A tall lanky Turian with grey plates and violet slashes along his jaw approached. "Report, Andos" her light trilling voice cut through the silence of the dig site.  
Andos Sharkian saluted, he'd had a hard time casting off his militaristic tendencies "all clear in all sectors commander Ardnot, it's quiet"  
"Too fucking quiet" her eyes glided across the dig site. Tapping next to her left eye she activated the prosthetic, she'd lost her real eye in a fight with a Drell assassin, using the haptic interface she flicked on infrared, she could see the researchers laboring below, and her men hidden around the rim. The dig itself was a harsh brown scar against the verdant earth it was exposed and open a security nightmare.  
"Nothing" she deactivated infrared in favor of normal vision. She turned to her second in command "it's too quiet, too easy I don't like it."  
"Your not the only one ma'am" Andos made the Turian equivalent of a frown his mandibles pulling together and his brow plates furrowed.  
"Tell everybody security level 5 I want two people on every position every shift, I want snipers on that hill, damn something's not right." Ava paced her wings stretching itching to fly.  
"I'm on it ma'am" Andos paused "you really need to rest how long has it been since you last slept?"  
She waved the question away "I'll sleep when I'm dead."  
His eyes pierced her "that's what I'm worried about Ava"

()()()()()

Two days later the artifact was unearthed a prothean beacon. A communication blackout was put into effect. Ava broke it to send a message to Zaeed Massani her adoptive father and leader of the black Hand. Little did either of them know that another was listening in.

A:"They finished the excavation, it's a beacon"  
Z:"when are they moving it."  
A:"tomorrow"  
Z:"good double the protection on it for the move."  
A:"Will do, if everything goes off with out a hitch you owe me a drink."  
Z:"if everything goes off without a hitch I'll give you Jessie."  
A:"why would I want that piece of shit?"  
Z:"shut up kid...come home safe alright?"  
A:"I always do"

A barefaced Turian sat in a twisting room of red and black, an Asari matriarch standing behind him resting her hands upon his shoulder.  
"We strike tomorrow."  
In the corner of the room a small light bobbed and vanished.  
"I'm so sorry" the Turians form collapsed upon its self.

()()()()()

Andos stood next to Ava at the space port the beacon safely in place waiting for pickup. Both were tense. No mission ever went this well. The local garrison had relaxed, the Black Hand hadn't. Shifting her weight form foot to foot uneasily Ava waited, not for long. She was picked up off her feet and thrown backwards by the sonic boom caused by a massive dreadnought shaped like a Terran cuttlefish, or a giant hand entered atmosphere. Off balance and with wings out stretched she didn't stand a chance her 65 pound form was tossed backwards like a rag doll. She knew she was going to break something so she twisted around in the air to protect her wings. The sharp "Crack" and searing pain in her leg was all she needed to know that her leg was shattered. The pain ebbed away replaced by a surge of adrenalin as medigel flooded her suit and a splint was micro-fabricated around her leg allowing her to regain her feet.  
"Black Hand! Protect the Beacon!" Ava screamed as she reached over her shoulder to grab her rifle, her men all slid into cover. Turning to the local soldiers she screamed "protect the colony we've got the beacon, go, go, go."  
As Ava turned to look at the dreadnought a red light began to gather.  
"To cover! now!" She barely heard her own voice as she dove for cover and mustered what little biotic power she had to form a barrier. A flash of light and half the platform and what used to be a house were gone. Along with three of her men.  
"Damnit, who the fuck fires a dreadnought in atmosphere?"  
"My thoughts exactly" replied Andos from behind her.  
Dividing her attention between the tram station and the dreadnought she waited. The screams coming from the colony were bad...it was worse when they stopped. Then the Geth arrived in what seemed like an endless tide. The black hand fought valiantly but there were too many to be stopped. Ava watched as one by one the vitals for her squad disappeared from her visor. Eventually only Andos and she remained. They were pinned down because a Geth prime had cornered them, with the prime there the Geth were too damn smart. Andos turned to her and slid his wedding knife out of its sheath and handed it to her "give em' hell commander" with that he stood and charged the enemy firing wildly until he got close enough to tackle the prime of the edge. Tucking the knife into her armor Ava fought back tears, those had to wait. The tide of the battle was slowly turning without the prime in play she managed to hold the Geth back and even slowly inch by inch push them back. Then the Turian arrived. At first she saw the pale grey plates and had the irrational hope that some how her second command and friend had survived. That hope and all hope of rescue was quashed as the bare-faced Turian began to order the Geth around. Ava broke cover and fired at the Turian until her rifle burned her hands.  
"Ah, your the Raloi, guess you won't be coming home safely after all." The Turian said with a low chuckle as he threw her against a wall with a flick oh his hand, his barriers had absorbed every last bullet she'd fired. Ava's eyes widened in horror, no! It couldn't have...she couldn't have been the reason they found the beacon, the reason...her men...Andos...died.  
"No!" She screamed fury welling up inside  
"That face that sudden realization, I love the face. I admit your encryption was impressive it almost took Sovereign half a second to break it" he frowned eyes becoming clearer for a second. "I truly am sorry, I will ensure your species is spared" then he brought his hand down slamming her broken form against the metal platform.

()()()()()

"Wings...shouldn't even be alive...Shepard...beacon...exploded...Saren" Ava drifted in and out of consciousness as she was picked up and carried to a bright room. A mask was placed over her mouth her last thoughts before darkness consumed the world were "I don't see a light, I thought there would be a lig-"

()()()()()

7 hours and two emergency surgeries later Ava opened her eyes surprised to even be alive, she tried to sit up but was unable in equal parts due to the pain that lanced through her chest and due to the straps that secured her arms to the table. Next to her bed stood two stone faced marines with lancer assault rifles pointed at her. Glancing herself over she noticed a cast on both her right arm and left leg, surgical padding stretched across her abdomen. And her ribs were wrapped in a medigel wrap. Noticing the obviously hostile environment towards her she began to do as Zaeed taught her name number rank attachment.  
"Ava Ardnot, serial number 56163, rank commander, Black Hand private security forc-" she was cut off by the medbay door sliding open to reveal a grey haired doctor and a tall imposing dark skinned human.  
"I'm captain Anderson System Alliance Navy, who are you what are you and what were you doing on Eden prime."  
Alliance she thought, thank the void for that. I am Ava Ardnot commander in the Black Hand private security force we-"  
She was cut off by Anderson "so your a mercenary"  
"Yes, as I was saying, the archaeologists hired us to provide extra security for the dig site as they thought it was pretty important." She looked down feeling the tears suppressed before rush back, choking back a sob she continued. After we move the Beacon to the space port we were attacked, I ordered the local garrison to protect the colony and we attempted to protect the spaceport, we were overrun and my entire squad was killed."  
"But not you?" Anderson raised an eyebrow.  
"My second in command, Andos Sharkian" she choked on the name, "he sacrificed himself to destroy a Geth prime. That changed the game, then a barefaced Turian showed up, was working with the Geth, most powerful biotic I've ever seen, easily matriarch level"  
Anderson's composure snapped, he turned and slammed his fist upon the counter, "Saren" after a moment he turned around, I have one more question then we can get those binds off, "What are you?"  
Ava threw back her head and laughed despite the pain, it was half hysterical "I am a Raloi, from the planet of Turvess, I was captured by STG to look in to uplifting our species to increase the salarians economic power, I escaped"  
Anderson flicked his hand and the marines undid her bonds saluted and exited the room. Anderson made to follow but stopped and turned around. "I am sorry for your loss."  
Ava let a harsh broken chuckle escape her lips. "You know he said that too?"  
"He?" Anderson asked.  
"Saren" he said "I truly am sorry, I will ensure your species is spared" tears of anger welled in her eyes "what the fuck is that supposed to mean 'ensure my species is spared' I mean what the fuck."  
Anderson gave her a knowing look. "Get some rest we are heading to the citadel, I'll have someone wake you when we get there."  
Ava laid back against the pillow and let the tears she had been hiding fall. The world grew dark again.

"Yo, bird girl the captain says wake up." A disembodied voice came onto the intercom.  
"Joker!" The doctor snapped. "You could be a little more sensitive"  
The voice apparently joker, came back on "sorry Chalkwas"  
Chalkwas turned in her chair to Ava "sorry about that he's our pilot, one of the best-"  
"The best" cut in joker.  
"-but he has an attitude. Anyways you really better get up, the medigel and nanobots took effect, internal bleedings stopped bones have re knit, scarring minimal, your are cleared for duty Miss Ardnot"  
"Thanks doc" Ava groaned as she pulled herself out of the hospital bed. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea where my kit is would you?"  
Chalkwas pointed to a curtain and Ava changed into her armor gingerly avoiding the still bandaged areas, as she pulled the breastplate on she noticed someone had made repairs, she would have to thank them later, noticing the fact that the patches were grey not black she mentally added after she painted her armor. "Where's the captain want me" her voice wasn't It's usual high trill, instead it was horse and strained she'd been screaming in her sleep.  
"Up in the bridge, front of the ship one level up, hard to miss" the doctor smiled wryly at her own comment.  
Ava nodded her thanks before moving towards the stairs to the upper level. Upon entering the CIC she noticed something odd about the layout, it was Turian in design. "Hmm" she mused as she walked gears turning in her head, Turian designs, cutting edge tech all over the ship, Anderson the first N7 as its captain. Suddenly it clicked, she was on The Normandy. Walking up behind the bridge she immediately recognized Ashley Williams from Eden Prime, must have been another survivor, the red head woman was unknown to her, and she recognized the male, he'd been the one to pick her up and carry her on board, she guessed she owed him. The pilot, Joker? Turned to the red head "see I told you she was a bird lady commander"  
The commander turned around and offered her hand "commander Shepard, Alliance Navy."  
Ava gripped her hand "commander Ardnot, black hand mercenary group."  
The two gave grim smiles and then turned to watch the approach to the citadel.

()()()()()

Anderson had pulled Ava of into a small alley on the way to the human embassy. He'd made it clear that the Normandy. Was going after Saren with or with out the councils blessing and that Ava would be, if she wished a welcome addition to the crew. That offer was why she was currently in Choras den. Biggest shit hole upon the citadel. But she wasn't there for the Asari wigglers or illegal red sand deals. She was there for the drinks that could knock a Krogan off its ass. She was remembering her squad. Melarssae, a 200 year old Asari who had managed to keep her innocent happy out look on life, she'd been killed by the dreadnought. Ava slammed the empty shot glass on the counter signaling for another round of whatever the hell she was drinking. Lia'Telli nar Qwib Qwib, a quarian pilgrim and a genius with tech. She'd been burned to death by a Geth pyro. Another shot burned her throat. Thomas and Urdnot Kanar, a hulking human and Krogan, best friends who were always trying to rope together a game of skyrillian five. Two glasses slammed onto the table. Sara, a quiet introvert, deadly with knives and with cards. Calish a salarian weapons expert. And Andos...god damn it Andos...her best friend a street rat from omega who had joined the black hand at the same time she had, and now he was dead. Because of her. No! She screamed at the quiet voices in her head that whispered that it was her fault her failure. How could I know? How? You wanted them to die whispered the voices. Never. No never. You killed them all.  
Ava threw the glass against the wall and slammed a credit chit on the table before sprinting out and collapsing against a wall.

()()()()()

One word echoed over and over in her head, vengeance. She picked her self up of the ground and raised her clenched fist activating her omni tool to punch in a com code. Turning to look over the presidium she raised it to her ear. "Yes, Anderson, I want in. Chora's den? Well I just happen to be in the area."

authors note: please read and review. likes dislikes suggestions, what you loved what you hated, leave it as a review ill see what I can improve azreal out-


	2. CH 2) Citadel

Captain Anderson stood in Udina's office, glowing omni tool raised to his ear. "You want in? Good, listen the council wouldn't listen to us, said they needed more evidence the commanders tracking down a lead, someone named Hariken at Choras den...your in the area? Good wait for Shepard." Lowering his hand and clasping it behind his back Anderson gave a grim smile that son-of-a-bitch Saren was going down.

()()()()()

Ava paced, she didn't like waiting she wanted to find this Hariken and break his bones one by one until she got the information she wanted, she stopped and drew her wings closer to her body. She gripped the dirty rail and watched the air cars gliding high above the beautiful curved paradise below. She wanted vengeance, yes but she also wanted justice. Saren was her target as were his men not some informant. Hearing footsteps she didn't even turn.  
"Took you long enough."  
"The protheans created the mass relays but couldn't make a faster elevator." Kaiden Alenko groaned.  
Shepard walked up to Ava "I hear your joining the crew?"  
"Yeah that bastard killed my squad...I just...I can't let him walk-"  
"I understand, you want revenge, just don't let it consume you. I need every body in top form. On that note how's your injuries?"  
Ava straightened, "I'm combat ready if that's what you mean."  
"Good, come on we've got a dirty cop to 'interview"  
Choras den was overwhelming to a human, or an Asari, smoke hung in the air like fog, shitty techno blasted louder than is safe while a crowd danced off tune in a haze of drugs and Alcohol. On laps, tables and counters nude Asari maidens with too little credits and too little modesty danced in slow sensual movements. The air was thick with the sent of sweat, blood, and sex. A thick layer of grime covered everything.  
The hollow eyed patrons quickly fled before the four well armored individuals. At a grimy little table in the farthest corner of the bar was a human in a distressed C-sec uniform. The jacket unbuttoned to reveal a filthy shirt that may have been at some time white.  
Looking up at Shepard the drunk scowled "whad' ya want"  
Slamming one hand down on each side of the table Shepard spoke slowly to make herself perfectly clear. "Are you Hariken"  
The drunk leaned back in his chair "yeah that's me"  
"We are looking for one Garrus Vakarian"  
"Yeah I know him babe, maybe you could do something to convince me to help ya"  
In a blur of motion Harikens face was slammed into the table his hands pinned behind his back and a knife was held against his throat.  
"Convinced yet?" Shepard growled into his ear.  
Ava was impressed by how ruthless the commander was.  
"Alright, alright he's up at a clinic in the wards run by a Dr. Mitchell just let me go!"  
"Happily" Shepard released him and wiped her hands on her armor. "Move out"

()()()()()

Kaiden wasn't lying the elevators really were agonizingly slow. And awkward, very awkward. After a minute Ashley turned to Ava  
"Er can you fly?" She was fidgeting obviously ill at ease.  
Ava who was leaning against the wall sharpening her claws just nodded.  
"I was just wondering because your like a bird-human thing."  
Ava replied "I'm a Raloi" she'd not really like Ashley on Eden prime because of her xenophobic tendencies.  
At that moment the elevator door opened, Ava swore, next time she was flying. The clinic as clearly marked with a glowing red sign.  
Ava motioned to the empty hallway "something's off here. A free clinic like this is normally swarmed."  
Shepard nodded "I agree, weapons free."  
Ava readied her Raptor assault rifle.  
Going silent the squad readied on either side of the door with Ashley and Ava flanking with rifles while Kaiden and Shepard readied barriers. Shepard brought her hand down the door slid open and The squad turned into the clinic. Three armed human thugs were waiting inside. One immediately grabbed the doctor to use as a human shield. Ava instantly surveyed the room assessing her options. The beds and counters were far to thin to act as any form of cover. "Go mobile" she screamed as she lept straight up to avoid a hail of gun fire stretching her wings she flipped in mid air and activated her mag boots, the battle field shifted she now had solid cover due to a beam on the roof that prevented the thugs form getting an angle.  
Shepard had charged the second Ava had screamed "Go mobile" bioticly throwing herself into one of the thugs with the crushing force of a bus. Kaiden threw the second into the air while Ashley riddled him with holes. The merc holding the doctor let go for a second to grab his gun- and was promptly decapitated by a sniper round and a burst of assault fire. Ava dropped gracefully to the ground. She kept her rifle trained on the newcomer. A grey Turian with blue clan markings. And a sniper rifle. Shepard held up her hand. The meaning was clear hold your fire.  
"Garrus Vakarian?"  
"That would be me. Thanks for the distraction I needed a clear shot." Garrus's voice was low and raspy with a vibrating sub harmonic.  
Ava lowered her rifle "actually I got the last one"  
One brow plate raised. "How do you figure that."  
"Well" she began "I put in three rounds, you put in one"  
He began to laugh. "But it was a big round."  
Shepard looked annoyed. "You can bicker over who killed who later. I heard you had a lead on Saren?"  
"Yes" the person who spoke was not Garrus but Dr. Mitchell "I treated a quarian a earlier said she had info on Saren so I sent her to fist. He's an agent of the shadow broker."  
"Not anymore" Garrus growled, "He works for Saren now."  
The doctor's eyes widened in horror "no"

Shepards eyes widened as well "move. Now!"

()()()()()

Ava spoke into her com "There's an alley behind the Den, lot of illicit deals go down there. If the quarians still alive that's where she will be!"  
Shepard nodded. "Take Garrus and head for the alley. I'll take my squad and find fist!"  
"On it" Ava motioned to Garrus, "take the stairs I will meet you there." He moved to follow her orders." Ava ran straight out of the hallway knocking an Asari down in her haste before grabbing the railing and vaulting over. She free fell for 8 feet then snapped out her wings and took off. She strained her wings narrowly avoiding an air car by spinning and dropping altitude. Flying straight down to gain speed she pulled out at presidium level. Her on suit computer told her that she had broke the peringer falcons air speed record. Angling off to the left wall of the presidium she glided riding her own momentum and warm air currents. A giddy laugh escaped her lips. The air felt so good. She could see Choras den in the distance so she regained her composure and steeled her face a life, and more importantly a lead hung in the balance.  
The ground passed in a green and silver blur, her breathing remained steady but her heart pounded in her ears like a war drum calling for blood and death. Shooting down onto the level where Choras den sat she glided close to the ceiling slowly reaching the roofline as her raptor eyes sought out the alley. Four figures were directly below her two salarians one Turian and a quarian. Folding her wings she dropped like a stone landing on top of one of the salarians she snapped his neck with her legs as he collapsed. She ducked the wild punch of the Turian and snapped out her wing to hit the throat of the second salarian dropping him instantly. Spinning Ava brought her other wing up into the Turians face confusing him and allowing her to catch his punch and kick him back wards. As he stumbled backwards a shotgun blast finished him off. The quarian was holding a shot gun. It had been an good shot but the girl was shaking visibly. Ava moved forward drawing her predator as she did and casualy executed the salarian she had wing snapped.  
"Hey, you alright"  
"A-are y-you an a-ancestor." The girl kept her shot gun aimed at Ava's chest.  
"No, I'm a living breathing being." She said "I'm here to help, those were Saren's men"  
The girl lowered her gun "okay, I'm Tali'Zorah nar Reya" at that moment Garrus came sprinting around the corner assault rifle raised. Talk almost shot him in surprise Ava stopped her with a arm. "Your late, I got two more kills"  
Garrus replaced his gun on his back. "Hey I don't have wings."  
Ava turned back to Tali. "This is Garrus Vakarian from C-Sec" lets get you to safety.

()()()()()

Shepard, Kaiden, Ashley, Garrus, Tali, Ava, and a Krogan battlemaster walked into Udina's office. Udina was yelling. "Firefights in the wards, an all out assault on Choras den and-" he looked very confused. "Are you collecting species? A Turian, Krogan, Quarian, and a genetically modified human? That sounds like a bad joke Shepard." The ambassador was rubbing his head in obvious exasperation.

"Not a joke ambassador, in fact I'm making your day, Miss Zorah?" Shepard motioned Tali forward Ava leaned back and began to sharpen her already razor sharp claws.  
"Yes. You see I'm on my pilgrimage." Noticing the confused looks on Shepard and Anderson's faces she explained "it's a...rite of passage, no one can be a burden so we have to go out and find something of value to bring back to the fleet. So I was on my pilgrimage and I happened to run across a Geth patrol and disable one and remove its memory core-"  
Anderson interrupted "I thought Geth erased their memory cores when captured or killed?"  
"Please, my people created the Geth, with skill, and a little luck you can salvage something" Tali motioned to her arm and played her omni tools audio.  
Saren spoke"Eden prime was a major victory, at a cost though."  
Then an unknown Asari voice "Your student got in the way, the beacons vision brought us one step closer to the conduit"  
Saren spoke again "and one step closer to the return of the reapers."  
Udina's almost snarled. "The council can't ignore this now"  
Ava frowned. "We will see."

()()()()()

"So" drawled the Turian councilor, Sparatus "what evidence do you have to present." Udina played the recording. "Deny that!"  
The Asari councilor gasped "the second voice...t-that was matriarch Benezia."  
Sparatus's mandibles spread. "We will be revoking Saren's specter status." The salarian Councilor's eyes were locked on Ava who wiggled her fingers at the bug-eyed frog.  
The Asari steeled her face. "To catch a rouge Specter we need another Specter."  
Vlaren, the salarian grimaced "indeed we do"  
Sparatus straightened "The council chooses Commander Shepard as its new Specter."  
"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the rights and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Branch of the Citadel."  
"Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions lift them above the rank and file."  
"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol, the embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."  
"Spectres bear a great burden. Both our first and last line of defence, the safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

Shepard kneeled. "I am honored to be chosen."  
"Hunt Saren to the ends of the galaxy." Sparatus commanded.  
"I will"

Authors note: thanks goes out to evilninjadog, swemanD47, pallidius, and silentmarine for the follows/favorites, thanks for reading. I know a lot of the dialogue is wrong but I want to instead of using all game dialogue with my OC only commenting I wanted to write my own immersive dialogue. Same goes with cannon, this story is not a novelization of mass effect it is a unique story so it will have unique plot points, some missions will be added and some will not appear, same goes with characters. As allways I appreciate ALL feedback so please leave a review. and for updates. I will have at least one chapter posted a week in either STG report Raloi or in Mass Effect:Vengeance. I will try to have one in both stories every week but no promises so please don't come after me with torches and pitch forks if I miss an update. Azreal out-


	3. CH 3) Therum

Ava had moved into the Mako garage, the stupid sleeper pods didn't accommodate wings, or Krogan, or Turians for that matter. Because of that Wrex, Garrus, and Ava had been given cots and told they were being lodged in the garage. Wrex set his stuff against a wall leaned against said wall and promptly fell asleep. Garrus and Ava were left standing in the doorway.  
"So, a cot on the floor well that's comfortable." Garrus shrugged. "I swear the Hierarchy has better a commendations."  
"Hey this is nothing one mission we stole a prototype ship while it was being built. They hadn't put in the floor, or the artificial gravity yet." Ava chuckled. She remembered that she hadn't secured her sleeping bag well enough and had ended up floating into the engine room.  
"Yeah, that must have been fun." Garrus laughed, "so uh where are you going to set up?"  
That was a good question. Most of the room was taken up by the Mako, and large storage crates.  
"Just behind some crates I guess." Ava and Garrus set down their individual Bags near the mako.  
Looking at the Mako Garrus groaned "things brand new all factory setting I'm going to have to calibrate it all myself."  
Ava grinned at the prospect of project "well maybe not all by yourself"  
"Really?" Garrus's mandibles spread.  
"You take suspension I've got guns." Ava cracked her knuckles.

()()()()()

"Keelah! We're all going to die!"  
"You humans really are crazy!"  
"Hah, I knew I liked you Shepard"  
"I'm pretty sure this isn't regulation!"  
"Survived the damn Geth to die in a steel coffin."  
"Woo Hoo! It's like a speed dive! Only slower, and safer."

The mako was filled with screams as Shepard drove straight out of the garage at low earth orbit onto Therum's surface. They were here to rescue or capture Matriarch Benezia's daughter a prothean archeologist named Liara. Currently the cabin was filled with Tali, Garrus, Wrex, Kaiden, Ashley, and Ava's screams as the tank hurtled towards the planets surface Wrex and Ava were half screaming half laughing in an adrenaline high. Tail was curled into a ball covering her face mask with her hands alternating prayers to the ancestors with screams that they were all going to die. Garrus's mandibles were spread wide and his talons were gouging into the seat. Ashley and Kaiden were just gripping their seats trying, and failing not to scream. Shepard was cackling with glee.  
The mako slammed into the ground with a earth shaking boom.  
"Lets not ever let her drive again okay?" Garrus was a shade of green that Ava hadn't thought a Turian could manage.  
"Enough insubordination, Ava, Garrus report on what you did to this thing." Shepard snapped into mission mode her face tightening up and muscles tensing.  
"Alright" Garrus spoke first "dismantled the suspension and shocks system, replaced the shocks with a mass effect dampening field. And calibrated the steering and suspension"  
"Sounds good. Ava" Shepard was running a diagnostic as she initialized programs.  
"Modified the heat sink, well really I added another heat sink and linked them, upped the controls sensitivity and added disruption Mods." Ava nervously flicked her wings, she really should have asked permission first.  
"Every thing checks out, battle stations people" Shepard hit the ignition.  
Tali jumped to a side console linked to the miniature drive core and shielding system, Garrus moved to the co-pilot seat, Ava took the main cannon controls and Ashley took the machine gun, Wrex and Kaiden strapped in next to the door.  
As Ava sat in the main gunners seat it raised of the floor to meet the turret. Screens appeared all around her and glowing controls manifested themselves. Quickly flipping through status reports stabilization, heat load, ammo she had a clear view of the surrounding terrain, "green lights acros the board commander"  
"Shields up"  
"Gun spinning up"  
"All clear Shepard"  
Ava was thrown back against her seat as Shepard accelerated, through the vid screen she could see the lava coursing near their position. The ambient heat was starting to affect the heat sinks so she switched to cryo rounds, the endothermic reaction should counter balance the heat. All of a sudden two Geth ships appeared on her screen just as they rounded a corner, "Bogies at 12:00" she screamed firing two shots at the rightmost Geth ship, the first round bounced harmlessly off the shields but the second, aided by Ashley's machine gun hit its mark sending it careening into the lava. Talks voice cut over the cheers, "uh commander the heats zapping our shields, we need to get away from the lava now!"  
"Shit can you do anything" the mako lept into the air to avoid a shot form the second Geth ship which was depositing a armature.  
"Re-routing power from the thrusters, but its a stopgap they are frying too fast!"  
"Damnit, Ava, Ashley all fire on that armature we are going to charge it. Garrus take the thrusters, dodge only if necessary."  
No confirmation was necessary they knew what to do. Accelerating towards the armature Ava lined up a shot and fired.  
"Shields at 89%" Tali called, her three fingered hands flying over the controls trying to keep the shields up under the combined on slot of the armatures guns and the heat.  
Ava grimaced the heat sink was at capacity, 5 seconds to cool down, 4, 3, 2, 1, THOOM the gun shook as another shot exited the barrel.  
"75%"  
Again 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, fire.  
"68%, if the shields fall any more we won't survive the impact!"  
Ava let go of the guns controls "take the main guns power, I can't get another shot off!"  
"Re-routing, hah take that Bosh'tet, shields at 77% hit them commander." Tal cried in triumph.  
The mako hit the armatures legs crumpling it and removing its shields, Ava gripped the controls as power flooded back into the gun. A loud blast and then silence.  
Now in more sheilded terrain away from lava pits the makos shields were regenerating, slowly to be sure, but regenerating. Shepard wiped the sweat from her brow. Ava wished she could sweat as the feathers on her wings puffed and she began to pant.  
Shaking her head she refocused as the mako continued on, her skin had flushed violet from the increased blood flow to her skin. Checking the various vision types the mako could use she realized that while the Geth were machines in this environment thermal vision could be of use, after all the Geth had to keep a stable temperature, and that temperature was cooler than the ambient temp, switching to thermal she kept an eye out for blue.

()()()()()

After about two clicks and three minor skirmishes, the mako met its next serious obstacle, a base was set up and well defended. They had rounded the corner and immediately had to hit reverse, pushed back by a hail of rocket and gunfire coming from Geth turrets.  
"S'kak" Garrus swore, "we need a way around."  
"Yeah or to be invisible" Ashley groaned.  
Tali sat up with a start "Geth use infra red, if we could trick that..."  
Ava grinned "we can, the shields are keeping us cool, drop them and we heat up to ambient temp, we would be invisible"  
Shepard nodded "Tali, the second one of them looks like it might want to fire I want those shields back up."  
"On it commander, those Bosh'tets will never see us coming"  
The mako floored around the turn clouds of dust being thrown up in its passing, Ava nervously watched the turrets, nothing came and they safely made it to a small side passage in the cliff side.  
"I don't like being blind." Shepard snapped "where are we in relation to them?"  
"We should come out right behind them." Garrus had pulled up a feed from the Normandy and linked a tracking beacon to it. "If we're lucky we should be able to go right past them"  
"NO! Commander, we have to eliminate them." Tali cried spinning in her seat." Shepard closed her eyes for a second face in turmoil, "no T'soni is the priority"  
"I don't like it." Tali muttered.  
"And I didn't ask you!" The commander snapped. The squad was shocked at the outburst and quickly returned to their duties.  
The mako sod thought the jagged red landscape as it pulled out and around the base taking off without a second thought.

()()()()()

The squad had to move on foot, the mako had been abandoned then the twisting rock passages no longer allowed for it to keep moving. Now moving silently and carefully the squad was attempting to work their way to the ruins. Ava had activated her prosthetic and was scanning the surrounding area for Geth. They assumed that the Geth still thought them by the base as they hadn't encountered any mor resistance. At that moment the team crested a plateau.  
"Keelah" Tali breathed, a Geth colossus larger than an armature was perched in front of the ruins.  
"Take cover." Shepard screamed.  
Ava slid into cover her vision flashed as she remembered saying the same thing befor half of her squad died. She cleared her head and watched the glowing blob of plasma smash into the ground behind her. She raised her rifle and fired three bursts before ducking back down next to the fork lift she was currently using as cover, Tali was cowering next to her obviously terrified, Ava searched around for the rest of the squad, Wrex and Shepard were moving from cover to cover attempting to close the gap, Garrus was trying to snipe, and Ashley and Kaiden were hunkered down near her location.  
"Tali talk to me I need weaknesses" Shepards commanding voice ordered.  
"K-knee joints are w-weak, s-so is the neck." Tali gasped "there's also a panel on he neck covers power supply cut the wires it's dead" she had steadied her self.  
Ava cut into the com "commander think you can hold the fire off me."  
"Copy that Ava, what's your plan."  
"I can take it down, but I need to drop my shields to do so, meaning I need it off me!" Wrex responded first hurling a grenade into the knee joint weakening it. Ava took the gap in attention, dropping her shields she sprinted out of cover and leapt off the ground hurling herself at the colossus. Wings beating furiously she dropped hard onto its back. She grimaced as she felt a jolt of pain, Chakwas would be pissed that she had managed to re-break her leg fighting the pain she crawled to the indicated panel and pulling out her pistol shot it six times, point blank. The Geth platform dropped to the ground, Ava along with. Garrus reached her first lifting her up and letting her lean on him while her armor splinted her leg.  
"What happened, what did you injure?" Shepard ran over, weapon down but ready.  
"Fractured my leg, got to love hollow bones." Ava grimaced, "I'm fine commander, I...it happens a lot,"  
"If your combat ready-"  
"I am" Ava stood straight. "We should move into the ruins."

()()()()()

The ruins were a nightmare, close quarters, dug in Geth, ambushes, and rubble. Shepard, Garrus and Ashley were leading with Ava, Kaiden, and Garrus making up the rear with Tali in the middle. Ava made an effort not to show any pain, only wincing occasionally. As yet another group of drones swarmed the hallway the group fired. Tali hacked one, turning it against its allies, Wrex and Shepard took down two with shot gun blasts and Garrus sniped one.  
"I'm up by three" he smirked.  
"Hey the colossus counts as at least five." Ava protested flicking her wings in amusement.  
"That still only counts as one!" Garrus laughed.  
The squad entered a walk way over a large room as they moved towards the elevator Ava went down on one knee and switched to her sniper three sharp cracks rag out and she brushed past Garrus.  
"That was three, now I'm all caught up."  
The rusty old elevator began to descend and then suddenly dropped down to the ground spilling out to the large room below the group prepared to fire only to be greeted with three dead Geth, and a Asari trapped in a glowing blue bubble in an alcove across the room.  
"Hello! Is somebody there, please I need help!" The Asari's voice rang out.  
Shepard advanced, "my name is commander Shepard, I'm a council Specter, we are here to help. Are you Liara T'soni?"  
"A specter?" The Asari murmured in surprise, "yes that is my name, please you have to get me out I have been in here for hours I was trying to activate the barrier function and the stasis field activated!"  
"Calm down we'll get you out" Shepard motioned towards her team.  
"Do you trust her?" Ava spoke.  
"I don't trust anybody, but I don't think she's with her mother, that fear was genuine." Shepard had lowered her voice almost to a whisper.  
"The biometrics from my visor say she's been in that bubble for at least 12 hours she's not lying" Garrus tapped the aforementioned visor as he spoke.  
Shepard nodded "Then snap to it team we have an Asari to jail break."  
Ava leapt into the air scouring for ways around the blue barrier not visible from the ground she searched the prothean walls for fissures and cracks, finding none she was extremely surprised. 50,000 years was a whole new meaning of built to last.  
"Could we use this?" Wrex's gravelly voice came over the com. He was standing near a large mining laser.  
As Ava landed gingerly on her good leg, Tali inspected the laser.  
"Let's see, hmm calibrate the power, override the safety...yes we can fire it. Might want to get out of the way first." The last was directed at Garrus who had been standing directly in front of the laser.  
"Oh, yeah that would be a good idea" he quickly shuffled out of the way. Shepard activated the laser a beam of red light boring into the wall...red light...flames...screams...

()()()()()

Ava turned to look at the dreadnought a red light began to gather.  
"To cover! now!" She barely heard her own voice as she dove for cover and mustered what little biotic power she had to form a barrier. A flash of light and half the platform and what used to be a house were gone. Along with three of her men.

()()()()()

"Ava! Ava! Ava!" Shepard snapped Ava who came to awareness looked up at her she'd fallen to the ground "you alright Ava?" The commander asked giving Ava a hand.  
"Fine, laser just knocked me off my feet, light bones and all that." Ava didn't believe her own excuse and from the commanders eyes, neither did she.  
"Alright but if that happens again I'm med-evacing you understood" she turned around "also don't bullshit me" she then walked off not even waiting for a response, climbing through the still smoking hole the laser passed through they managed to get behind T'soni and her barrier.  
"Oh thank the goddess you got though" Liara turned her head the little bit she could while stuck in the field, "that console on the left should deactivate the barrier, I think...maybe."  
"Err" Garrus scratched his head, I don't know about you but I can't read Prothean"  
"I've got this" Wrex grunted, raising his shotgun and firing three times. The console was reduced to shrapnel. "Problem solved."  
Liar dropped to the ground, "normally I'd object to that, but today I think-"  
The ground shook Ava lost her balance falling into Garrus, Liara who had just picked herself up was knocked down again.  
"These ruins aren't stable! The laser must have caused seismic activity!" Liara screamed as dust began to fall form the ceiling.  
"Run!" Shepard ordered.  
The squad sprinted forwards up the hallway, too low to take off and not being able to sprint Ava fell behind. Garrus paused and ran back for her lifting her over his shoulder and resuming his run.  
"Thanks." She breathed, she didn't like to show weakness but she was hurting.  
"No problem, its what squad mates do" he chuckled "besides We're tied and it can stand like that."  
They reached a large elevator and Liara began to type furiously. "Got it I think" the elevator jolted upwards, "I did! Well that's a relief."  
Shepard called in for evac. Just as the elevator crested the top a pack of geth and a large Krogan appeared. "Well well, looks like you got the doctor for us. Hand over the Asari and I don't kill you. Or resist, that would be fun." He cracked his knuckles and jumped down to the platform. The Geth charged, with no cover and barely enough room to fire it was chaos. Wrex head butted a Geth before blasting its head off. Kaiden bioticly punched a hole in a rocket troopers chest. The Krogan turned its focus to Ava charging straight at her. Ava stopped for a split-second like a deer in the headlights, and then turned and ran. Legs pumping against the ground she could feel the shards in her leg shifting with every step, lances of pain shot up her leg with every step. She was picked up off her feet as a shotgun blast hit her in the back, thankfully her barriers held but she was on the ground against a wall with no barriers, her rifle had slipped from her hand. The Krogan approached shotgun raised laughing at her attempts to shuffle backwards. It cocked its shot gun and aimed it at her chest. Time seemed to slow down, the din of battle drowned out by the blood in her ears as she moved on instinct. Reaching into the sheath on her boot the raised the vibro-knife that had claimed her eye, and slammed it into the krogans foot. Somersaulting sideways she gained her feet and tackled the off balance Krogan bioticly assisting her punches she hit the beast till her knuckles bled, her violet blood mixing with the krogans red. Pulling her knife back out of the corpses foot she slammed it between the junction of plate and skull ripping the Krogan's plate from its head. Lifting the bloody plate she sheathed her knife. Standing as the final Geth were killed, Ava limped to the squad dripping blood. Just in time the Normandy arrived. As the group ran into the garage Wrex nudged Ava, "remind me not to piss you off." He motioned to the head plate she was holding."

()()()()()

Faces swum in Ava's vision her squad mates screamed at her. Faces covered in blood, some rotting, some only bones. Her team accused her of killing them. She turned and fled running across a nightmare version of Eden prime. Blackened hills were licked with flames. Twisted trees reached into a red sky filled with smoke. Behind her a hoard of dead chased after her, geth pored in from the sides all around were red beams of light and the constant noise. Tripping she ended up face down in the mud lifting her head she realized she was at the feet of a familiar Turian.  
"Please...Andos...help me." She gasped Andos turned around his familiar features were absent, instead they were replaced with Saren's. "no!" She tried to scram but it caught in her throat, trapped in the blood soaked mud with the ghosts of her friends staring down upon her with contempt she lifted her tear stained eyes to Saren "fuck you" she mouthed just as he raised his hand.

authors note: so yeah Ava's pretty screwed up. on a side note sorry for the delays. Finally I'm rewriting chapter one and two as well as probably this one to fit a darker feel. There's going to be a lot more psychological repercussions and damage overall.


	4. CH 4) shore leave 1

Ava sat in the cold steel chair. The mess was dark, the main crew were in the sleeper pods. She pressed the cool glass of her drink to her forehead. The scotch contained within sloshed against the side. On the table in front of her sat a half empty bottle. She sighed, the dreams had gotten worse. She always had nightmares, but not like that. Her squad...Saren. She downed the glass shaking her head as the drink burned down her throat, she didn't even know why she drank, it didn't help with her metabolism it was out of her system in minutes. Humans did it and she had just picked it up.  
"Drinking alone?" Ava looked up. Shepard was leaning against the stairs.  
"Couldn't sleep." Ava whispered.  
Shepard walked over and sat down across from Ava, "welcome to the party"  
"You too?" Ava pored another measure into her glass. "Yeah, had a mixture of insomnia and nightmares since 15, care if I have a drink?"  
"Fifteen?" Ava raised an eyebrow, she slid the bottle over to Shepard who took a swig.  
"Yeah, Batarians came to my home colony, Mindor. Killed or enslaved everybody there but me. I hid in a barn with a shotgun...I could hear the screams outside, cries of pain, pleas for help. And the Batarians laughing. The bastards were laughing. One eventually found me so I blew a hole in his chest, it was my first kill." She took another swig. "Your, squad dying, is that what's causing yours?"  
Ava caught the bottle "yeah, that and a load of other shit."  
"Like what?"  
"Well there's being kidnapped at age 6 by Salarians where I was experimented on for six years, its how I got my biotics. Not exactly normal for a species that hasn't discovered Ezzo. Then there's watching the other Raloi who were kidnapped be eliminated one by one to get rid of any evidence. I escaped at age 12, found a shuttle took it to omega. Was a petty their for a year then got into a mercenary group. Been in he black hand for 7 years...I have a lot of corpses."  
Shepard leaned back "do you hate Salarians?"  
"Do you hate Batarians?" Ava retorted.  
"Yes." Shepards answer was cold. Then she laughed "they don't call me the butcher of Tofren for nothing!"  
"Then I think you know my answer." Ava calmly said.  
Shepards face calmed "Yeah, I do." She raised the bottle "to lost friends and silent demons"  
"To lost friends and silent demons."

()()()()()

Shore leave. The Normandy being a small ship had to be re-supplied. So they were at the citadel and so the crew was on shore leave. Garrus walked over to Ava who was leaning against a bulkhead.  
"Hey Ava" she raised a freshly sharpened claw "Hey Garrus" she looked at his fidgeting "what do you want?" She winced she hadn't meant to sound so harsh.  
"I was wondering if you wanted to look at sniper rifles, I hear Armax is coming out with a new line." Garrus made a hand motion towards the air lock. Ava smiled, "sure, I'd love to look at implements of death and destruction." Garrus's mandibles spread in distress. "I'm actually being serious." Ava laughed "let's go."

()()()()()

"Ooh look this scope tracks thermal signatures" Garrus held up a sleek black tube. Ava who was rummaging through silencers laughed "two things, one I have a prosthetic eye that can do that, and two we are fighting Geth, they don't exactly have thermal signatures do they." He dropped the scope, good point. Ava ran her omnitool over a silencer as Garrus looked at another scope. "Spirits!" Ava spun hand reaching for her sidearm "what!"  
Garrus laughed at her tensed pose, "this scope has a smart VI that tracks kill counts." Ava grinned snatching it from him. "Alright then I think we have some goodies to get" he laughed and picked another off the rack. "Game on"

()()()()()

Shepard and Wrex were coaching Tali and Liara on the finer arts of shooting things and biotic combat. Wrex had taken Tali's shotgun modded the hell out of it and brought it back to her, he'd forgotten recoil. Poor Tali was thrown off her feet. The entire squad was now at the shooting range. Pizza of levo and dextro versions was served along side human beer and Turian ale. Wrex had a bottle of ryncol. Ava and Garrus were modding their sniper rifles as Kaiden and Ashly argued the merits of biotics vs muscle.  
Ava checked her new scope, she fiddled with the settings. Hm infrared, no, night vision, no, kill count party version? "Hey Garrus, I think we can link the scopes."  
He grabbed the rifle and fiddled with it, they had already linked it to their hard suit computers so any kill counted not just rifles. "There lets go try them out." Taking the two slots next to the very exasperated Shepard who was explaining to Liara that turning your head and closing your eyes really hurt your accuracy. The two fired in silence.

()()()()()

Back on the ship Tali approached Ava. "What you did with the Krogan was really impressive." Ava nodded "thanks."  
"Iwaswonderingifperhapsyoucouldteachme" Tali squeaked.  
Ava flicked her wings "what?"  
Tali took a deep breath "I was wondering if you could teach me"  
"To kill Krogan?"  
"No! Well yes but more along the lines of just hand to hand in general!" Tali was wringing her hands.  
"Of course, you have a knife?" She motioned for Tali to follow her.  
"Yes"  
"Then lets begin."

Authors note: sorry for such a short chapter It's kinda a filler. Anyways please read and review.


End file.
